Car-coupling



No. 608,7l9. v Patented Aug. 9, I898.

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WELLER SIIANKLIN, 0F SWEET SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA.

CARMCOUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 608,719, dated August 9, 1898. Application filed May 15, 1897. Serial No. 636,759. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVELLER SHANKLIN, of Sweet Springs, in the county of Monroe and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to that class of carcouplers in which the coupling action is antomatic and accomplished by simply bringing two cars provided with the improved coupler together with sufficient force or momentum to actuate or overcome the tension of the springs supporting the coupling-pins.

It consists in the combination, in a carcoupling,of laterally-yieldin g springs applied to the draw-bars and carrying the couplingpins and an arrow-headed link the barbs of which act upon the pins and springs to allow the arrow-heads to pass and engage the pins, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of draw-bar heads with the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section showing the coupling-link in plan view.

1 2 represent opposing car-heads or coupling-bars which inside of the flaring mouth for the reception of the link have offsets or shoulders at 3 on each side, terminating in a central upright bar 4, tapering to its outer end or junction with the head, as shown, and forming the shank or draw-bar extension thereof. 011 each side of said tapering shank springs 5 5 and 6 6 are arranged, one pair upon each side of said draw bar shank, one above and one below the link-slot 7 therein. These springs are secured at their inner ends to the draw-bar and are provided at their outer ends with expanded portions or lugs 8,

perforated at 9 to receive pins 10 10, one upon each side of the shank 4 and of the couplingpin slot 7 formed therein. The link (indicated at 11) is provided at each end with a blunt arrow-head or tapering point terminating at the ends of the tapering sides in wings or barbs 12, which after passing the pins located upon opposite sides of the link serve to engage said pins and prevent a withdrawal of the link. The inclined faces of the end of the link or arrow-head serve,as the link is forced inward, to force the pins 10 1O apart, the springs holding said pins permitting said lateral movement of the pins until the barbs of the head have passed the pins, when the springs serve instantly to retract the pins and cause them to engage with the barbs of the link, thereby effectually preventing the accidental withdrawal of the latter. By simply lifting the pins from their sockets or perforatioi'is the links can be released when desired. Any suitable appliance may be connected with the pins for this purpose, or they may be lifted by hand by the operator standing upon the platform of the car.

It will be seen that with the coupling constructed as described the cars can be readily and rigidly coupled automatically by the backing of one car upon the other by the action of the engine and by the engineer alone without the aid of any assistant in the operation'.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination withthe draw-bars of a car each having rigidly secured to the sides thereof laterally-yielding springs with apertures in the free ends thereof, said draw-bars having transverse openings, movable coupling-pins carried by the springs and an arrow-headed coupling-link, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with the draw-bars of .a car each having lateral openings therethrough and spring-bars arranged in pairs one above the other, the bars being rigidly attached at their rear ends to the draw-bars the free ends of the springs opposite the openings carrying removable coupling-pins and a coupling-link having beveled ends and recesses the body portion of the link occupying the major portion of the interior of the drawhead in advance of the transverse openings therethrongh, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

WELLER SIIAN KIAIN.

Witnesses:

F. L. BEOKNER, G. G. GRIFFITH. 

